Liverpool turned down chance to sign Man Utd star in summer transfer window for brutal reason

Liverpool turned down the chance to sign Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte in the summer for a brutal reason, it has been reported.

The 23-year-old moved to United last summer from Paris Saint-Germain for an initial reported fee of €50 million.

Ugarte joined on the eve of the summer transfer window closing and missed out on facing Liverpool at Old Trafford back in September after not being registered in time to feature.

Two goals from Luis Diaz and a strike from Mo Salah saw the visitors win 3-0 on that occasion and Liverpool have maintained their momentum under new boss Slot to sit top of the Premier League by five points.

United travel to Anfield this afternoon to face Slot's side, with the hosts overwhelming favourites to emerge victorious and extend their advantage even further at the summit of the English top flight.

Ugarte is expected to feature from the start of the encounter on Merseyside, having missed United's 2-0 loss at Old Trafford against Newcastle due to suspension after picking up five yellow cards.

Ugarte has 21 appearances in all competitions for United since his summer move from PSG, but it was far from certain that the Uruguay international was destined to be a United player and might have lined up in Liverpool red this afternoon under different circumstances.

Manuel Ugarte. (Image: Getty)

Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout over the summer and it proved to a be a quiet transfer front for the new Liverpool boss ultimately, with the Merseyside club only signing Federico Chiesa from Juventus for a reported £10 million.

There was speculation that Liverpool were seeking to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, but it was a move which failed to materialise after the member of Spain's Euro 2024 winning squad turned down a move to Anfield.

It has now emerged that following Zubimendi declining a move to Merseyside, Liverpool were offered Ugarte by PSG as a potential signing in the central midfield area.

However, according to a report from The Times, Slot wanted a "constructive, not destructive" midfielder in the number six position.

That is why Slot opted to go with Ryan Gravenberch, a player he worked with at Ajax and whom was signed by Klopp from Bayern Munich in 2023 for a reported €40 million.

Gravenberch has has praise heaped upon him for his form this season and is likely to come face to face with Ugarte this afternoon at Anfield.